United States Eventing Association

The USEA Instructors' Certification Program (ICP) is an excellent place to locate a trainer. For more information visit www.useventing.com/education/icp and locate a certified trainer in your area. Stay tuned as well for future articles on the new Young Horse Professional Trainer Certification being offered through the ICP.

Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch began her eventing career while riding in Canada with mentors such as Rebecca Howard, Eric Ferrier and Chelan Kozak to name a few. After actively participating in the British Columbia Young Riders program, Rhodes-Bosch made the decision to follow BCYR Alum, Rebecca Howard to the United States to pursue the top levels of eventing. After winning the Bronze medal in the two-star division at the 2007 NAJYRC, Rhodes-Bosch went on to achieve top placings at the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and World Equestrian Games. She now bases herself out of Purcellville, Virginia where she runs a successful training business while recruiting a string of top horses to campaign at the upper levels.

As an amateur rider, it’s important to find a reputable trainer when you’re searching for someone to help you bring up your youngster to compete in the Young Event Horse program. As you begin your search, Rhodes-Bosch explains that first and foremost you should ask around to make sure that other trainers recognize their name. In Area II especially, there is such a high volume of young horse trainers that you want to make sure the trainer you choose has positive connections to other trainers in the area.

Once you’ve secured a sound trainer for your horse, you’ll want to identify your priorities with them. If you’re a person that mostly enjoys mostly riding in an arena, you’ll want a trainer that makes ring work fun for your horse. If you want to be mostly out and about, make sure your trainer does plenty of hacking and trail riding alone and with others.

Additionally, Rhodes-Bosch feels that it’s important to learn their philosophy. Ask questions about their process for teaching a horse to jump a ditch, banks, and water. What would they do if your horse doesn’t want to jump a liverpool or go out on a hack by itself? You want to make sure that their thinking aligns with your ideals as the owner.

The next big thing to consider is the trainer’s ability in terms of their facilities. Find out how big their ring is, if they have access to trails and if they have an open space to jump them at home. Rhodes-Bosch mentioned that checking their social media pages may give you a good idea about how often they take their horses on cross-country schooling trips and schooling shows. “You want to make sure your trainer has the ability to produce a well-rounded young horse. Exposing them to everything is so important,” Rhodes-Bosch continues.

Once you’ve decided that the trainer checks out with everything mentioned above, be sure to go to their farm and watch them teach a couple of lessons or take a lesson with them on your horse. After this step, you should be able to determine if this is someone that you feel comfortable leaving your horse with for 60 or 90 days, or even longer.

As an amateur rider, it’s important that after those initial 2-3 months of your horse training with a professional that you continue with lessons at least three times a week for a period of time in order for you to know when the time is right for the horse to move forward. Rhodes-Bosch explains, “A smart and reputable trainer is going to introduce new things very methodically so that you don’t have things to undo down the road. It’s important to put yourself in a position to continuously move forward with your young horse.”

To learn more about Stephanie and her program, please visit her Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/SRBEquestrianSports/?fref=ts